Manuscript Leaf with Marriage Scene, from Decretals of Gregory IX
Unknown Artist
ca. 1300
Medium
Tempera, ink, and gold on parchment
Dimensions
18 1/8 x 11 5/8 in. (46.1 x 29.6 cm) Other (Illumination): 3 1/16 x 5 1/2 in. (7.8 x 14 cm) Mat: 22 × 16 in. (55.9 × 40.6 cm)
Classification
Manuscripts and Illuminations
Culture
Italian
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Harry G. Friedman, 1955
Accession Number
55.18.3
Art Historical Context
This illuminated manuscript leaf, created in Italy around 1300, comes from a copy of the Decret of Gregory IX, a foundational collection of canon law in 1234 that guided church governance across medieval Europe. The scene depicts a marriage ceremony, likely illustrating legal principles concerning matrimony, consent, and ecclesiastical authority. Such leaves were not merely decorative but served as visual aids to help readers—often clergy or scholars—navigate complex legal texts. Crafted with tempera, ink, and gold on parchment, the work exemplifies the refined techniques of Gothic manuscript...